Sunny optimism at TPC Sawgrass

Sunday

May 5, 2013 at 11:18 PM

Garry Smits

Charlie Beljan and David Lingmerth were two of the first players on the TPC Sawgrass practice range on Sunday, full of sunny optimism that rivaled the blue skies not seen over the course since Tuesday.

And why not? The final round of the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday, the preliminary event to The Players Championship since 2007, proved once again that nothing can be taken for granted in golf as world top-10 players such as Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood faltered down the stretch, opening the door for Derek Ernst and David Lynn to decide the issue at the Quail Hollow Club in a playoff.

Ernst captured the final spot in The Players field when he parred the first hole of sudden death to beat Lynn. Ernst, a California native who played college golf at UNLV, had birdied the 18th hole in regulation to earn a spot in the playoff and Mickelson (bogeys at Nos. 16 and 17), Westwood (bogeys on three of six holes on the back nine) and McIlroy (a double-bogey and two bogeys on the back nine) shot themselves out of it.

Ernst became the first player to get into The Players by winning the week before since The Players moved to May in 2007 and the Wells Fargo Championship moved to the week before.

"I couldn't want to get out here," said Beljan, who qualified for The Players by winning at Disney World last fall and set foot on the property for the first time on Sunday. "I grew up watching this tournament, watching what happened on those closing holes. If I could be a part of being at 16, 17 and 18 on Sunday with the tournament still undecided, it would be unbelievable."

Lingmerth, a native of Sweden, former golfer at Arkansas and a Jacksonville Beach resident, followed Beljan to the range within minutes.

"As a rookie, playing in this tournament is one of the early goals you set for yourself," said Lingmerth. "I've played here a few times but I know the course this week won't be anything like we see it other times of the year."

You have to love youthful exuberance. And while they're long shots to win as the deepest field in golf tackles the Players Stadium Course this week for the 40th Players Championship, they're no more improbable than Craig Perks, Jodie Mudd, Mark Hayes, a 23-year-old Adam Scott or a 48-year old Fred Funk.

And last week, former University of Florida player Billy Horschel won the Zurich Classic in New Orleans for his first PGA Tour title and a spot in The Players.

The unknowns on the PGA Tour can win anywhere. From the golf course standpoint, their chances are even better at The Players.

"What I love about this course is that no one is eliminated because they don't have a particular strength," Beljan said.

However, they face something else: a field that is top to bottom the strongest in golf. In addition, to Woods, Mickelson, McIlroy, Scott, Westwood, Kuchar, Snedeker and McDowell, others playing this week will recent major champions Webb Simpson, Ernie Els, Keegan Bradley, Bubba Watson, Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson.

While some players were getting an unexpected head start on the week (earlier, they were told they might not be able to practice until late Monday morning because of the wet grounds), the Players volunteer force of more than 2,200 people and the TPC Sawgrass maintenance staff were scrambling to catch up to tournament preparations delayed when around 10 inches of rain fell from Thursday through Saturday night.

With the help of pumps lent by JEA, the Precision Air system under the greens that sucks moisture out and double-duty by the TPC Sawgrass maintenance staff and volunteers, most areas of the course didn't look like it took in 1 inch of rain, let alone 10.

Fans will be allowed to begin coming to the course on Tuesday. Monday practice-round tickets will be honored. Parking is free on Tuesday and Wednesday but Players officials are still urging fans to carpool whenever possible.

"Everything is on schedule now and we're ready for a great week," said executive director Matthew Rapp. "We don't anticipate any problems for fans when we open on Tuesday."

Spirits seemed high among the volunteers as the work was punctuated by laughs and smiles.

Darlene Riggs, who has run the Players volunteer dining area for 26 years, gave them a treat after three days of unrelenting rain and wind: Everyone ate free on Sunday.

"We usually start charging the Saturday before The Players but everyone's been through so much and had such a tough time in the last few days, it was the least we could do," Riggs said.

Garry Smits: (904) 359-4362

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